Construction Craft Worker Apprenticeship Program

Construction Craft Worker Apprenticeship Program

Construction Craft Workers (CCW), work mostly on construction sites; their tasks include site preparation and cleanup, setting up and removing access equipment, working on concrete and masonry, steel, wood and pre-cast erecting projects. They handle materials and equipment and perform demolition, excavation and compaction activities. They may also be responsible for site security.

With experience, construction craft workers who complete additional training may specialize in different areas of construction. This can include operating off-road vehicles, drilling and blasting, tunnelling and performing emergency rescue. Another common responsibility is the management of pedestrian and vehicular traffic in situations involving potential hazards and public safety.

Construction craft workers work primarily outdoors, in all weather conditions. They are often required to work at heights, over water and in confined spaces and excavations. Their job settings may be in densely-populated urban settings or at remote locations. They often work overtime during peak construction periods.

The CCW Apprenticeship Program is similar to other apprenticeships in that the apprentice attends two eight week in-school sessions between two to three periods of paid work experience, each lasting approximately ten months. The apprentice keeps a logbook outlining competencies learned on the job.

Key attributes for workers in this trade are mechanical aptitude, manual dexterity and an ability to do hard physical work. They must also be able to work both as team members, and sometimes, to interact directly with the public where such considerations as safety and legal liability are at issue. They must also be able to work as part of a team. Organizational, leadership and plan reading skills are assets for anyone wanting to progress in this trade.

Local 1089 Training Centre is a Training Delivery Agent (TDA) through The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) for the CCW Trade and all apprentices from Local 1089 will complete their in-school training sessions here. The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) is involved in registering and tracking the progress of apprentices, their schooling, and their hours of on-the-job training hours. Apprentices who are Employment Insurance (EI) eligible will continue to collect during their training sessions at Local 1089.

The in-school apprenticeship program is the same one used at all other approved TDA's across Ontario and is approved by the MTCU. Courses taught in the sixteen week program include:

Construction Safety I & II

Blueprints and Specifications I & II

Construction Tools I & II

Equipment Handling Practices and Procedures I & II

Rigging, Hoisting and Material Handling I & II

Introduction to Formwork I & II

Introduction to Concrete I & II

Introduction to Scaffolding I & II

Earthwork, Barriers and Controls I & II

CCW apprentices are awarded the Certificate of Apprenticeship by the MTCU when they have achieved the following:

Successful completion of the two eight week in-school sessions;

Successful completion of on-the-job training (2400 hours) ;

MTCU Log book filled out;

Local Business Manager signs off, confirming apprentice has met all requirements; and

Notification by the apprentice to the MTCU that all requirements have been met, with documentation to prove this.

Red Seal Designation

The Construction Craft Worker is now recognized as a Red Seal Trade in Canada. It is the expectation of Local 1089 that all apprentices will successfully complete their Red Seal Exam in a timely manner as part of their commitment to their trade. What does this mean for those who enter into the apprenticeship program? The Red Seal Program represents industry's recognition of an interprovincial standard of excellence for the skilled trades. Through the Program, apprentices who have completed their training and become certified journeypersons are able to obtain a Red Seal endorsement on their provincial or territorial Certificates of Qualification and Apprenticeship by successfully completing an interprovincial Red Seal examination. Local 1089 Training Centre will help all apprentices prepare for the exam by administering a test prep week, prior to writing the Red Seal Exam.

For 50 years, Canada's provinces and territories have worked together to build the Red Seal Program, http://vimeo.com/11171616 a system of common standards for the skilled trades. A Red Seal certificate signals excellence to employers, instills pride in skilled workers, and promotes geographic labour mobility.

Construction Craft Worker - Exam Counselling Sheet

A Red Seal exam is based on the National Occupational Analysis (NOA) for the trade. The analysis describes the skills and knowledge required to perform the duties of the trade. Each noaconsists of blocks (main subject areas), each block is divided into tasks, and each task is divided into sub-tasks. Not all areas are tested on the Red Seal examination as the analysis identifies all tasks performed in the trade by apprentices, tradespersons and journeypersons.

To prepare for the Red Seal exam please use the noa information below.